Proposition 14 ushers in new election process

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California voters Tuesday voted for a dramatic makeover in the way primary elections are conducted by decisively approving Proposition 14.

The initiative will replace the traditional political party nominating process in everything but presidential elections with a system similar to the way nonpartisan elections are conducted. Candidates of all parties will appear on the same primary ballot and the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election, regardless of party.

Supporters of the so-called “top-two open primary” say it would result in the election of more moderate candidates because people running in primaries would be forced to appeal to the entire electorate rather than hard-core ideologues in their own parties.

Opponents contend it would limit choices in general elections because the top two candidates in highly partisan districts would also be members of the same party. They also say minor party candidates would almost never appear on general election ballots.